


Beach Babes

by katrinawritesthings



Series: Beach Babes au [1]
Category: SHINee
Genre: Aromantic, Asexual, Brotp, NB, Nonbinary, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-14
Updated: 2015-08-14
Packaged: 2018-10-20 17:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10667685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katrinawritesthings/pseuds/katrinawritesthings
Summary: the one wherejongis a surfer andtaemis a stonertw for drug mentions





	Beach Babes

Jonghyun decides that he’s done surfing for the day when an ankle biter creeps up on him when he’s not paying attention and flips him into the water ten feet away from the shore.

He gets himself to the surface easily but angrily, spluttering and cursing. Most of the hissed obscenities are for the wave, but some are saved for Minho because that asshole was right. He’d said, barely twenty minutes ago, that the wind was dying down and the waves were getting too small to even play with and that it was getting too late to keep going anyway, and left Jonghyun alone at their secret spot with a shrug. He’s probably sitting in the diner up on the boardwalk right now, sharing a thing of fries with that rainbow-haired street artist he’s always flirting with. What a smug asshole.

As Jonghyun yanks his board under his arm and trudges out of the water, his anger fades into irritation, which fades to grumpiness, which fades to nothing. Whatever. He’ll join Minho in the diner and steal some of his fries. On the shore, he towels excess water off of himself and grabs his bag.

Their secret spot is a bit of a walk through a little cave on the far end of the beach, and then a bit of an awkward clamber over some rocks. Minho had found the way to it from the beach when he’d been on his little rock climbing kick a year or two back. Around a mile and a half down from the main beach with the fancy steps and big crowds is a less used parking lot with another path down to the shore set right next to a messy wall of rock and boulders. They’d known that there was a smaller little beach area on the other side of it all because they could see it while they were out on the surf, but it was Minho that found an easy climbing path and the tunnel that lead to it. They don’t even have to climb that high; a foot or two over their heads at most.

The trip through the cave gives Jonghyun enough time to think that maybe he doesn’t feel like being a third wheel tonight; Minho has been talking a lot about actually wanting to ask Kibum out lately and Jonghyun would hate to get in the way. Romance always makes him feel a little gross. Maybe he’ll just get himself some street food and set himself up to watch the sunset in his car. That’s always nice. He’ll light himself a scented candle and everything. It’ll be a romantic dinner for one.

When he gets to the rocks, he sets his board gently against the smoothest one and feels up the others for the hold he usually uses to pull himself up first. He’s glad Minho isn’t here for this; his knee is a little sore from where it banged against his board when he fell and he’s never been as good as the lanky fuck at scaling these boulders. At least he can take his time without worrying about being laughed at.

“I totally saw you get axed, dude. Ha ha, radical.”

Jonghyun’s foot slips on the rock and he would have fallen if he didn’t grab onto the next hold for dear life. He finds it hard to be thankful for that small grace when his other knee bangs against the jagged stone. He curses again, hisses it to the rock and hauls himself up all the way to find some asshole lounging on the hill of sand to the left of the path up to the parking lot. Bleached hair with purple tips fans out on either side of their soft face as they hug their knees to their chest and smile down at Jonghyun. Jonghyun huffs. Ignoring this pretty stranger, he turns around, grabs the tip of his board, and pulls it carefully up and over the stone to drop it onto the soft sand below.

“You like, so wiped out,” purple hair person says. They laugh again and Jonghyun scowls. He was over this. He doesn’t need some douche bringing it back up into his life. “Like, far out, dude.”

“Do you have a fucking problem with me?” he snaps. Like it’s not enough that they’re making fun of how he fell, but what’s with the shitty stereotypical surfer dude voice? Half of the surfer shit he’s saying isn’t in the right context and the other half isn’t even surfer slang. It’s like, 70’s hippie slang or some shit. He wiggles off of the rock to land in the sand next to his board and glare up the dune. “Are you laughing at me?” he asks. Behind the stray cattails and tall grasses rising out of the sand around them, they raise and lower their shoulders in a slow shrug, smile twitching a little at the corners.

“No,” they hum, “I’m just really high.”

“You--oh.” Jonghyun runs his fingers through his hair. He’s not really sure if that’s an acceptable excuse. He’s not too familiar with the whole stoner thing. He squints up the dune at them suspiciously, trying to figure out if he should keep being mad at them or not. He’s pretty sure that laughing at someone while high is just as rude as laughing at them while sober.

“I’m sorry for hurting you,” the stoner says to him. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it. That was mean.” They shrug again, this time in a more obviously apologetic manner. Oh. Hmm. Well. Jonghyun supposes that it’s okay, then. What a nice apology. He grins, hiking his bag more over his shoulder.

“Well, thanks,” he says. Picking his surfboard up under his arm, he starts trudging up the path to get back to his car. When he reaches the stoner, who’s still just watching him with a mellow little smile, he offers a quick polite smile back. He’s almost passed them when they uncurl an arm from around their knees and hold their hand out.

“I’m Taemin,” they say. Jonghyun looks at their hand for a second.

“Um. Jonghyun,” he replies. He takes their hand and shakes it. This should feel weird, he thinks, but it’s a little hard to be put off by such a relaxed smile coming from someone all curled up on themselves like this. This Taemin is really cute. They’re probably harmless. Taemin takes their hand away and curls it back around their knees, stares at Jonghyun serenely. Jonghyun wonders if they’re so calm and quiet and cute because they’re high or if that’s just how they are normally. Then, taking a closer look at their hair, he wonders why it looks so familiar. “You’re…,” he starts slowly. “Aren’t you usually hanging around at the bonfire down there?” he asks. He points down the beach at where the fire is just barely visible in the distance. That’s where the stoners usually hang at night and Jonghyun is sure he’s seen bleached hair and purple tips lounging around in the glow of the flames before. Taemin nods without turning to look.

“Mmhmm,” they say, “but now I’m here.” Now they’re here. That seems simple enough. Jonghyun can’t argue with that. He does wonder why, but it’s not really his business and a glance at the sun tells him he’s losing valuable time. It looks like he has about ten minutes to throw a shirt on, jog up to the boardwalk for something to eat, and be back in time to catch the sunset.

“Well, have fun here,” he says. He gives Taemin a little wave, which Taemin mirrors lazily without even lifting their hand off of their knee. A sleepy little stoner. How endearing. Two steps up the path, before he even passes Taemin’s spot, he stops and turns back with a sudden thought. “Hey,” he says, “can I borrow a light?” It occurs to him that the little scented candle he keeps in his car has never seen any use because he’s never remembered to go out and buy himself a lighter. He really needs to get on that, but for now, borrowing one from this pleasant cutie shouldn’t be a problem.

“Sorry, no.”

“Thanks, I--wait, what?” Why no? Rejection pulls down the corners of his lips while some kind of amusement pulls up Taemin’s.

“I don’t have one,” they say. “Sorry.”

“But….” Jonghyun pouts. “Aren’t you a stoner?” he asks. Taemin nods, cheek smushing against their knee.

“Mmhmm,” he hums.

“And don’t you need a light to light joints?” he asks. “Uh. Blunts. Pipes. Bowls?” To be honest, he probably knows less about stoner terminology than Taemin does about surfing shit. Still, he’s pretty sure that lighters are an important part of the whole process.

“Mmhmm,” Taemin hums again.

“So,” Jonghyun says, “don’t… didn’t you… use a light? To smoke? And get high?”

“Mm-mm.” Taemin shakes their head this time. “I don’t smoke,” they say. “Smoking’s bad for you.” If that was supposed to make Jonghyun understand, it didn’t work. Now he’s even more confused.

“How are you high right now then?” he asks. Taemin takes a deep breath, almost a sigh, and unfurls themself from their little ball. Behind them is a bag that they unbutton and rummage in for a moment before pulling out a tupperware container. They it open and hold it out for Jonghyun to see what’s inside: [brownies](https://twitter.com/katrinawrites/status/601169612282142722). Oh, he thinks.

“Oh,” he says. “I forgot about edibles.” Taemin laughs a tiny laugh and nods. They reach in and pick up a little crumb on their finger, licking it off happily.

“What do you need a light for, anyway?” they ask. Jonghyun shrugs.

“I was just… gonna romance myself, in my car,” he says. “Dinner, scented candle, sunset.” He waves absently behind him at the sun slowly lowering over the waves. Taemin hums softly in understanding.

“Well, I won’t romance you tonight,” they say, “but do you wanna sit with me instead?” They pat the sand next to them invitingly. Jonghyun bites his lip for a moment, thinking. Sit alone in his car with some five dollar garlic fries or chill a little bit with the pretty bonfire stoner?

“Sure,” he grins. He lays his board down behind Taemin, shrugs his bag on top of it and takes a seat. It’s still sunny enough that the sand is nice and warm and he sighs contentedly as he gets comfortable.

“Brownie?” Taemin asks, offering him the container. Jonghyun reaches for one, then takes his hand back a split second later.

“Um,” he says, “do you have regular ones?” He tries not to wince as he says it and prepares the regular list of excuses and coverups for when people ask him why he doesn’t like being not sober. He didn’t really think this all the way through.

“Yeah, yeah, I got you, man,” Taemin says. Before Jonghyun can even blink in surprise, Taemin is closing the lid of their weed brownies and rummaging in their bag again. “I got you,” they repeat. Two containers are in their hands when they turn around again “Cakey or chewy?” they ask, wiggling each one respectively. Jonghyun just stares for a moment, half baffled and half impressed. Someone came prepared. Or, almost prepared.

“What about fudgey?” he asks.

“Fuck fudgey brownies,” Taemin snaps, scowling in disgust. It surprises a laugh out of Jonghyun; he’s never seen anyone so viciously against a kind of brownie before. Either they despise the way they taste and refuse to make them or they just suck at making them, and Jonghyun honestly doesn’t know which is funnier.

“Which ones,” he asks as he tries to stifle his giggles, “which ones have the more brown sugar?” He forgets what effect the brown sugar has on the texture of baked things but he remembers that he likes it. Taemin wiggles the left container.

“Chewey,” they say. Jonghyun grins and nods, making grabby hands at the container; Taemin matches his smile and pries it open. “You can take more than one,” they say. “I have plenty.” They’re not lying; at least twenty brownies are squished in there. Jonghyun takes two. He supposes that Taemin made them for the whole bonfire party going on down there. Maybe they’re in charge of making the brownies or something. Head brownie president. He giggles to himself as he takes a bite out of his first one.

It’s fucking delicious.

“Dude,” he says, staring at it in disbelief. It’s moist and chocolatey and not too dense and not too sweet and has that perfect crinkly top. It’s perfect. He doesn’t think he’s ever had a better brownie in his life. “This is really good.”

“Thanks, friend.” The wide, proud grin that creeps onto Taemin’s face betrays how flattered they actually are from Jonghyun’s compliment and Jonghyun thinks it’s fucking adorable. They must be really into baking. Jonghyun can just imagine them  at it; sifting flour, cracking eggs, licking batter off of the spoon. Cute. Cute cute cute. “I probably should’ve… left these at the fire.” Jonghyun shakes himself out of his thoughts of imaginary Taemin and focuses instead on real Taemin, who’s frowning down at their containers thoughtfully. “Everyone’s probably starving,” they mumble. Jonghyun grins. He can just imagine how bad everyone’s munchies are getting without their snacks.

“Why’d you leave?” he asks curiously when Taemin shrugs and turns to stuff the brownies back into their bag. He’s found that Taemin’s lips are really pretty; the way that they form around words is almost entrancing. Jonghyun would watch him speak for hours if that wasn’t a weird thing to want to do with a stranger, so he settles for just asking a simple question to hear him speak for a few more minutes.

“Ah, I had a panic attack,” Taemin sighs. They turn back around and hug their knees to their chest again with a shrug. “And they’re always a hundred times worse when I’m high. I had to get away from everyone.” They’ve gone quieter than before, eyes staring at the sand. Jonghyun suddenly feels guilty for asking.

“Um,” he says awkwardly. Shit. He just wanted to watch their lips. He didn’t mean to make Taemin remember anything like that. “Are you feeling okay?” he asks. “Does anyone else know you’re here?” Taemin slowly turns to look at him with their cheek resting on their knee. Their gaze is worryingly silent for a few moments before a slow smile tugs up at their lips.

“Mmhmm,” they hum. “It was almost an hour ago. I just haven’t wanted to go back yet. I told Jinki where I was going.”

“Oh, good.” Jonghyun doesn’t even care that he sounds too relieved for the one that didn’t even have the panic attack. He’s just glad that he didn’t make Taemin feel gross. He doesn’t know who Jinki is, but he assumes that they’re someone that Taemin knows and trusts, so that’s okay, too. Taemin laughs softly at his relief.

“You’re sweet,” they mumble. Jonghyun grins, ego boosted; then Taemin wiggles closer so their sides are pressed together and links their arms. “And you look so _warm_ ,” they sigh. As they nuzzle Jonghyun’s shoulder happily, Jonghyun feels unease settling in his stomach.

“Um,” he says, leaning away. “I don’t… like to be touched. That much. No snuggling.” He barely represses a shudder as he eases his arm away from Taemin’s hold.

“Oh,” Taemin says. They let go almost immediately, but gently. “I’m sorry,” they mumble. “I should’ve asked.” They wrap themself back up into their little ball with no complaint. Jonghyun doesn’t tell them that it was okay, but he does smile gratefully at the ease and acceptance of Taemin’s reply. He rubs his shoulder absentmindedly where Taemin’s cheek pressed against it, glad that the pressure is gone. “Not even platonic snuggling?” Taemin asks. Their pout is more curious than dejected, so Jonghyun finds himself chuckling softly.

“Sometimes,” he admits. “But not now.”

“Hmm,” Taemin hums, looking pensive for a moment. Then, “Okay.” They fumble in their bag behind them in one of the regular brownie containers, pulling a square and two napkins with them. “Here, I forgot,” they say, handing Jonghyun one.

“Oh, thanks.” Jonghyun takes it and puts his second brownie on it. He’d almost forgotten that he had these already. He eats the rest of his first one greedily. He’s going to need to get the recipe off of Taemin or something so he can make these himself.

“It’s starting.”

“Hmm?” Jonghyun frowns at Taemin, confused because they’re staring straight ahead now at the ocean. “What’s starting?”

“The sunset,” Taemin says, turning back to him and raising a brow. Oh. Jonghyun turns quickly to see the bottom of the sun just barely touching the water over the horizon. _Oh._

“Right,” he says. Then he laughs. He can’t believe that he forgot. He pulls his bag closer and rummages inside of it for a shirt since it’ll definitely start getting colder once the sun is gone. When he pops his head out of the collar, Taemin is looking back at the horizon but their amused little smile is still sitting on their pretty lips. Jonghyun decides to not get too huffy over it, instead leaning back to get comfortable while he watches the sunset with his new friend.


End file.
